Help...does anyone know which side you are supposed to sleep on !!!

[Lolski]

I am 17 weeks and didn't even know that it mattered until I saw a couple of threads on MN. I was sleeping on my back but was told that it restricts the oxygen to the placenta. I then started sleeping on my side but saw a fetal movement thread on here that said that you are supposed to sleep on your left side again because of oxygen and the placenta. I then saw a different one that said it is better to sleep on your right side. Does anyone know anything about this or even if it matters. Thanks.

I thought it was left for positioning

The comfortable one.

left side as some sort of main artery runs down the right.

left, apparently

would not have thought it matters to much at 17 weeks though. I think its when you are bigger and if youlie on your back you feel like your belly is trying to suffocate you.

Firstly, if you are comfortable sleeping in a particular position then that position is fine. With sleeping on your back you will get uncomfortable long before it has any adverse effects.

The general recommendation is to sleep on your left side, but it doesn't really make any difference left or right (somewhere I have a link to a study that looked at preferred sleeping position and outcomes and showed no statistical link).

Hi Lolski - I think in theory it's best to sleep on your left side for optimum circulation, oxygen etc. but I have been sleeping on my right side and my back as well depending on what is comfiest at any point in time (I'm 30 weeks pg). I think problem with being on your back is mainly if you are flat on your back so if you can prop yourself up a bit with pillows then that would be much better. The reality is that whatever side you start off sleeping on, you'll move around a lot at night anyway - I woke up one night at about 24 weeks to find I had been sleeping on my tummy! Needless to say the baby was kicking quite hard to get me to shift

Like MrsCarrot though, I have heard that closer to your due date sleeping on your left can encourage the baby into the optimal position for giving birth (so my antenatal yoga teacher said)

Left also for better blood flow to the placenta/baby.

Left, for positioning and to aid maximum blood flow to placenta. Apparantly.

However, I always tried to go to sleep and ended up on the right.....always. My DD was and still is perfectly healthy!

Left side for blood flow etc.

The other prob with being on your back is that the weight of your bump presses on main arteries. Much more of an issue as you get bigger though.

Thanks everyone. I know it is a bit early to be worrying about it but thought that I would try and start as I mean to go on so from tonight the left side it will be !!!! Thanks again

I think it helps actually to get used to sleeping on your side - I found it very hard to get to sleep at first when I was not on my stomach but now I'm used to it.

There really isn't any correlation between sleeping on your left/right and whether the baby ends up positioned left/right, though.

I've slept on my left side for as long as I can remember... Now that I'm pregnant I can only get comfortable and fall asleep on my right sid

I was told recently left is betetr but then I have restricted blood flow to the placenta and apparently it aids that.

I was told that the best position for the baby was head down (obv.) with back running down left side. By sleeping on your left your are encouraging this position as the heaviest part of the baby is its back bone. I think the earlier you sleep on your left the easier it is later in pregnancy. I did it for both my DS. Both were in good positions, but it may not have had any affect.

I get indigestion if I lie on my right side.

And I get stabbing cramp pains in my ribs if I lie on my left side.

And I get out of breath if I lie on my back.

They should make a pregnancy mattress with a hole cut out for you to hang your belly through so you can sleep on your front.

Broccoli, I cant breath on my back either, end whether it be left or right I end up in pain with a whole side dead and getting stabbing pains, I've ordered one of those big pregnancy pillows now, have no idea if it will make a difference though.

At what stage in pregnancy is it best to stop sleeping on your tummy?

Towards the end you should lay on your left as it can help to encourage the baby into a slightly more favourable position for childbirth.

Can I ask a really silly question about all this? My placenta is on the left side of the front of my tummy. Should I still be sleeping on the left?

Yes, it's something to do with the blood flow to and from the placenta doesnt matter where your placenta is.

I somehow managed to sleep on my front more or less the entire pg with ds

he is fine (mind you his positioning was APPALLING! never considered that before as a factor I must say...)

I think it only really makes a difference blood flow wise if your blood flow is restricted anyway, if it's normal then I don;t think it makes much difference.